Sera's Wild Awakening
Sera's movements had changed. She stepped forward into Gent's relentless barrage of strikes. It looked suicidal at first glance.
"You've realized running away isn't the answer, huh? Good. Make this even more fun for me."
"......"
Sera didn't bother responding to Gent's taunt. Closing in deep on him, she unleashed Rapid Claw. Her blind, indiscriminate clawing attack mirrored Gent's thrusting strikes in its lack of openings.
As her assault flew toward him, Gent's speed ramped up even further. He accelerated effortlessly and opened his mouth.
"Eighty percent."
Now it was a speed even Sera at full throttle couldn't hope to match. But she showed no panic, no fear. With heavy-lidded eyes fixed on the tip of his blade, she anticipated his next attack. Dodging by sight alone would be too slow—she had to predict.
In that moment, Sera's mind spun faster than ever. Gent's attack trajectory shimmered before her eyes like a mirage.
Gent's razor-sharp slash grazed her side by a hair's breadth. Far from disappointed, he burst into mad laughter.
"Hahaha! Nothing boils the blood like a speed duel! You're feeling it too, right?"
The wandering mercenary, mad for gambling and combat, was genuinely thrilled as he cranked his speed higher. He was now unleashing ninety percent of his power.
It started loose around the neck. Then the grip tightened bit by bit. The opponent, who once harbored hope, despairs at the noose of terror closing in. The greater the hope, the deeper the despair.
Gent's fighting style was a form of strangulation. That was why his other nickname was Gallows Gent.
'The look on their faces when they think they can dodge this and start thrashing—pure delight! Shame about the mask hiding her expression.'
Gent knew it was a vicious hobby, but watching an enemy's face crumple in despair was like a drug he couldn't quit.
Sera took a deep breath. Gent's attacks accelerated relentlessly, becoming too fast for her to even perceive. Even if she predicted and dodged, he could adjust his trajectory on the fly. That was the gap in their levels.
Slash!
Gent's strike grazed the top of Sera's left shoulder. The sharp mithril longsword, infused with blue mana, left a single gash. He'd originally aimed for her mask.
"Wanna see your face before I kill you. You won't take it off yourself, so I'll do the honors."
Sera fell back. But Gent advanced faster than she could retreat—a natural outcome given their speed difference. His charge came with strikes. She blocked with her claws, but couldn't fend off everything. Wounds multiplied across her body.
Yet Sera felt no pain. Not like this, anyway. Each hit only sharpened her calm. She held her breath quietly, hunting for an opening.
"You're dodging like a pro. That movement... beastkin? Defies all common sense—wolfkin or catkin, maybe. Doesn't matter. I'll find out myself."
Gent, with his vast combat experience, pegged her identity instantly. The blue mana on his blade flared to its peak, sharp enough to feel with the eyes. Mithril's high mana conductivity made it far more efficient than ordinary metals when infused.
"Full power now. That was fun."
See the face, then kill. Simple plan in Gent's head. A playful diversion to make up for his gambling losses today.
Sera sensed he was serious now. Speed advantage: his. Experience: his. Nothing smiled on her.
'My life doesn't matter. Kill him. I will kill him!'
A counterattack heedless of her own life. That was Sera's final gambit. Embracing death cleared her mind. The countless tactics from the fight coalesced into one.
'Cross counter.'
In clashing with Gent, Sera had spotted his tell. Before thrusting deep, he scraped the ground with his left foot. And he did it again.
She predicted his next move and prepared her response. Take the hit head-on. Then shift weight forward into a Half-Moon Cut. She'd die with a hole in her gut, but high odds of taking him with her.
Sera was content with that.
[Congratulations. You have acquired the C-grade ability Wild Hunter.]
←Status→
-Wild Hunter (C-grade)-
→.When fighting without weapons equipped, agility increases by 100%, and physical damage taken decreases by 30%.
←Status→
As Sera sorted her thoughts before her final strike, strange letters appeared before her eyes. An image? A video? Something meaningful, anyway.
'My body... feels light?'
Sera felt like gravity had vanished. A light jump might send her to the sky's end.
Without grasping the cause, Gent's form blurred, piercing several meters to appear before her. Ten meters was a stone's throw, as he liked to say.
'I can see his movements?'
Gent's speed was the fastest yet. Cleaving air in mid-leap, he was a streak of light, a loosed arrow. The mana blade on his mithril sword screamed through the atmosphere, aimed at her heart.
But unlike before, Sera perceived it crystal clear. As if the world had slowed.
Step left. Effortlessly evade.
Gent's face twisted in shock as his strike missed.
Sera launched a low kick at him. Her foot slammed into his right hip.
"Guhk!"
Gent staggered. Sera poured emotion into her ten claws. Crimson-black mana embodied her killing intent.
"Astral Claw!"
She unleashed a technique she'd never landed before. But now, it felt possible.
"What the hell is this speed!? Tch! Hiding your power too!?"
Gent spat in frustration. It stung his pride that he wasn't the one toying with his plaything.
He bit his lip, trying to match her, but Sera—now twice as fast—was untouchable.
"Graaak!"
Crimson claws pierced his unprepared guard. Astral Claw was a barrage of strikes on a single target. Blood-red mana claws tore through the air like a swarm of hornets. No blind spots as they shredded toward him.
In the blink of an eye, Sera's mana claws ravaged Gent dozens of times. Her limit-breaking speed kicked up dust. Building debris shattered from her glancing blows.
In poor visibility, the slower one suffered.
'This attack's dangerous!'
Sweat slicked Gent's grip, shaking his sword. A split-second opening—just enough for Sera.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
Merciless shredding turned his arm to rags. Then face, chest, gut, groin.
Two hundred forty-one slashes in under three seconds.
"Kraaak!"
Gent collapsed. Only when his back hit the ground did arterial blood erupt like a geyser.
*-*-*
[Life Vessel effect activated.]
←Skill→
◇ Branch Skill [Life Vessel 1Lv] (SSS-grade)
→.Create one Life Vessel per entity. When the owner dies, the Life Vessel shatters in their place. Cannot create another for the same entity for 24 hours after destruction.
←Skill→
I'd tasted death. But it didn't claim me.
My somewhat lax, risky plan relied on my powerful skills. I had two spare lives total. One was this freshly triggered SSS-grade Life Vessel. I'd made one each for me and my women.
'The other is the SSS-grade Resurrection of the Dead.'
←Skill→
◇ Branch Skill [Resurrection of the Dead 1Lv] (SSS-grade)
→.Once every 24 hours, upon death, revive in perfect condition. Revival cost: -10 to all stats. If unable to pay...
←Skill→
Resurrection of the Dead revives you once a day for a hefty -10 to all stats. Can't use it on others, and the cost is steep—makes it a clear inferior to Life Vessel. Still SSS-grade thanks to the flawless revival effect.
I'd revived right after Gent killed me, but I didn't rush. Aiming for his opening. Plus, other powerhouses might've survived the arena. A Sword Master popping out meant Sera and I bolt.
So I scouted first.
Sera fought better than expected. I'd figured she'd lose to Gent. With her Life Vessel, one death was affordable. But mid-fight, an unbelievable alert appeared before me.
[Sera has acquired the C-grade ability Wild Hunter.]